Healthcare Clinics affiliate with WellStar in Atlanta

WellStar said Wednesday that under the agreement, WellStar Urgent Care Centers and physician practices will work with Healthcare Clinics inside Walgreens drug stores to handle health conditions the beyond the clinics' scope of practice, as well as to help manage the treatment of chronic diseases.

The collaboration will include direct communication between WellStar doctors and Healthcare Clinic nurse practitioners to facilitate care coordination and sharing of patient information, along with enhanced awareness of Healthcare Clinic at select Walgreens locations and WellStar services.

"This collaboration extends quality care directly into our communities to provide greater access for patients," Reynold Jennings, WellStar president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "We believe our communities will benefit from this type of collaborative model as we join forces with Walgreens to deliver more coordinated care."

"With the health care system today facing a myriad of challenges, Healthcare Clinic at select Walgreens can play an important role in enhancing patient access to quality, convenient and affordable care," stated Alan E. London, chief medical officer for the Consumer Solutions Group at Walgreens. "Working with a highly integrated health system such as WellStar offers an ideal opportunity to further coordinate patient care in northwest Atlanta."

WellStar Health System is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in Georgia and serves a population of nearly 1.4 million residents in five counties.